Davit for a dinghy or other small boat



May 6, 1969 e. H. DAUNIS DAVIT FOR A DINGHY OR OTHER SMALL BOAT Sheet INVENTOR. 6202;: H DAUN/S Filed Dec. 7, 1967 May 6, 1969 G. H. DAUNIS DAVIT FOR A DINGHY OR OTHER SMALIL BOAT Filed Dec. 7, 1967 Sheet I N VE N TOR ll. DAUN/S flZQw/f M Armamwr y 6, 1969 G. H. DAUNIS 3,442,241

DAVIT FOR A DINGHY OR OTHER SMALL BOAT Filed Dec. 7, 1967 Sheet 2 0f 5 Fm I f INVENTOR saogz' Ii DAUN/S Wnm Us. c1. 114-435 United States Patent 3,442,241 DAVIT FOR A DINGHY OR OTHER SMALL BOAT George H. Daunis, 853 5th St., Manhattan Beach, Calif. 90266 Filed Dec. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 688,797 Int. Cl. B63b 23/00, 21/00 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A davit for a dinghy or other small boat comprising a pair of hanger members secured to and extending outwardly over a side of the dinghy and a pair of lock devices secured to the stern of a carrier boat for releasably receiving the hanger members such that the dinghy may be swung upwardly and downwardly on the lock members between a lower in-water position and a raised out-ofwater position against the stern of the carrier boat.

Disclosure The present invention relates generally to davits and, more particularly, to a novel davit construction especially suited to releasably secure a dinghy or other small boat to the stern of larger carrier boat and which permits the dinghy to be easily swung from a stable in-water position and a stable out-of-water position against the stern of the carrier boat.

Heretofore, various forms of davits have been proposed to lift dinghies and other small boats from the water and to secure such boats to larger so-called carrier boats. Certain of such davits are illustrated and described in the following United States patent: Palmer, 2,294,864; Anderson, 3,143,991; Smith, 3,216,388.

While the above-referred to and other forms of such davits have been proposed, they all suffer from important practical problems which have to date severely limited their commercial acceptance.

In particular, the prior forms of such davits are relatively complex and include articulate, folding-type structures with specially designed attachment means for securing a dinghy to the ends of swingable and/or pivotable arms or brackets. Due to their complexity, such structures are dilficult and expensive to manufacture and, accordingly, are relatively high priced.

Secondly, the vast majority of such articulate davit structures are unsightly and must be secured in a collapsed condition. Even then, such as well as other prior davit structures detract from the outward appearance of the carrier boat and present substantial safety hazards to those working in the areas of the davits.

Moreover, and possibly of most importance to the boatsman is the great difficulty and physical strain encountered in securing such prior forms of davits to the dinghy prior to lifting operation. In practice, such connections require at least two men, one on the carrier boat and one in the dinghy. Even then, it is very difficult if not impossible to connect such davits to a dinghy during rough sea conditions or where the carrier boat and dinghy are pitching relative to each other.

Furthermore, when such prior forms of davit structures are secured to the dinghy, care must be exercised by the boatsman in entering and disembarking from the dinghy due to the plurality of arms and/ or leads necessary to secure the dinghy in place.

Still another shortcoming of such prior forms of davits is the difficulty of installing same on the carrier boat and/or to the dinghy and the periodic servicing required to maintain the davits in proper operating condition, maintenance of proper lubrication of the swingable and pivotable parts being but one of such servicing problems.

In view of the foregoing as well as other practical problems inherent in prior forms of such davit structures, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved davit for dinghies and other small boats which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, and substantially service free.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved davit of the foregoing character which enables a single boatsman to rapidly and simply connect a dinghy or other small boat to a carrier boat even in high seas and in rough water where the dinghy and carrier boat are pitching relative to each other, and which in fact is as easy or easier to connect in such rough seas than in calm seas.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved davit having the foregoing characteristics which in addition thereto, enables a single boatsman to easily and rapidly swing the dinghy between a lowered, inwater position and a raised, out-of-water position against the side of the carrier boat.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved davit of the foregoing character which firmly secures the dinghy to the carrier boat both in the lowered and in the raised position, the dinghy in the lowered, in-water position being so stable that the boatsman may stand erect and walk around the dinghy and safely embark and disembark without fear of falling because of lateral relative motion between the dinghy and the carrier boat; the dinghy in the raised position being secured against lateral motion relative to the carrier boat with a lower side of the dinghy spaced from the side of the carrier boat to permit sea water to freely wash therebetween.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a davit possessing the foregoing characteristics which comprises a pair of spaced hanger members secured to the side of the dinghy with outboard arms extending above and outwardly beyond the gunwale of the side, and a pair of lock devices fixed relative to an extending rearwardly beyond the stern of the carrier boat above the water line thereof for alignment with different ones of the hanger members and each including an outer hook portion defining a support slot for receiving the outboard arm of the associated hanger member and each slot including a bottom for supporting its associated outboard arm as the dinghy is swung upwardly and downwardly thereabout between the lower and raised positions.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a davit of the foregoing character further including cooperative means on one of the hanger members and its associated lock device for preventing relative lateral movement between the carrier boat and dinghy when the dinghy is in the raised position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a davit of the foregoing character wherein the lock devices further include hand releasable lock arm means for locking the outboard arms in the support slots and wherein the lock devices and hanger members are positioned relative to each other such that the dinghy may be simply secured to the carrier boat by maneuvering the dinghy adjacent the lock devices and rocking the dinghy until first one and then the other of the hanger members pass downwardly into the support slots, the hanger mem bers thus being releasably locked to the locked devices to secure the hanger members for swinging movement about and on the bottoms of the slots as the dinghy is raised and lowered between the in-water and out-of-water positions.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a davit of the foregoing character wherein the sides of the lock devices are angled to assist in guiding the hanger members into the support slots as the dinghy is rocked relative to the carrier boat.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description which, by way of example only, illustrate various combinations embodying the features of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the davit of the present invention connected to the stern of a carrier boat and to the side of a small boat, here a sabot, the davit including a pair of locking devices secured to the stern of the carrier boat above the water line thereof and a pair of hanger members secured to the side of the sabot, one of the hanger members being releasably locked to one of the lock devices and the other of the hanger members being positioned adjacent the other of the lock devices and ready for securing thereto;

FIG. 2 is na enlarged perspective view of one of the lock devices illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 in FIG. 1 and illustrating the manner in which a hanger member is secured to the side of the sabot to extend over and outwardly beyond the gunwale thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1, illustrating the manner in which a hanger member is secured to its associated lock device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sabot in a raised, out-of-water position against the stern of the carrier boat, the hanger members having pivoted on the lock devices to support the sabot during raising from the lower, in-water position to the out-of-water position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the manner of connection of one of the hanger members to its associated lock device, the sabot being in the raised position;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 88 in FIG. 6, showing an indentation in one of the hanger members and the manner in which it rests upon and receives the bottom of the slot in the associated lock device to secure the hanger member and hence the sabot against lateral movement relative to the carrier boat when in the raised position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional side view taken along the line 9--9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged top view taken along the line 1010 in FIG. 5, illustrating the manner of connection of the other of the hanger members to its associated lock device;

FIG. 11 is a perspective vie wof a second form of lock device connected to a horizontal step extending rearawrdly from a transom of the carrier boat;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view illustrating the horizontal step, the lock devices secured thereto, and a pair of modified hanger members secured to the side of a dinghy or the like, one of the hanger members being secured to its associated lock device and the other hanger member being adjacent and ready for connection to its associated lock device by a rocking of the dinghy relative to the lock device;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional side view of one of the hanger members, illustrated in FIG. 12 showing the manner of connection of the hanger member to its associated lock device, the small boat being in the lowered, in-water position;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional side view similar to FIG. 13 only with the small boat in the raised, out-of-water position; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of still another davit arrangement wherein hanger members are secured to the stern of a dinghy.

In the drawings, the carrier boat is represented generally by the numeral 10, the small or auxiliary boat by the numeral 12, and the davit by the numeral 14.

The carrier boat 10 may be any large boat to which it is desired to secure and support the small or auxiliary boat 12.

The small boat may be a dinghy, sabot, sled, pram, rowboat, or other small vessel, hereinafter referred to, collectively, as a dinghy.

Generally speaking, the davit 14 provides means for docking or locking the dinghy 12 to the carrier boat 10 so that the dinghy can be lifted to a positive carrying position for transport from one place to another. To this end, the davit 14 includes a pair of spaced hanger members 16 and 18 secured to a side 20 of the dinghy 12 with outboard arms 22 and 24 extending above and outwardly beyond the gunwale 26 of the side 20. In addition, the davit includes a pair of lock devices 28 and 30 fixed relative to and extending rearwardly beyond the stern 32 of the carrier boat 10 above the water line 34 thereof. The lock devices 28 and 30 are spaced for alignment with the hanger members 16 and 18, respectively, and each includes an outer hook portion 36 defining a support slot 38 for receiving the outboard arm of the associated hanger member. Each support slot 38 includes a bottom 40 for supporting its associated outboard arm as the dinghy 12 is swung upwardly and downwardly thereabout between a lower, in-water position (see FIG. 1) and a raised, outof-Water position against the stern 32 (see FIG. 6). In addition to the hook portions, each lock device includes hand releasable lock arm means 42 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) for releasably locking the outboard arms 22 and 24 in the support slots 38 to secure the dinghy 12 in both the lower, in-water position and in the raised, out-of-water position. Moreover, the davit 14 includes cooperative means 44 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) on at least one of the hanger members 16 and 18 and its associated lock device for preventing relative lateral movement between the carrier boat 10 and the dinghy 12 when the dinghy is in the raised position.

Thus arranged, to use the davit 14, the dinghy 12 is towed, rowed, or otherwise maneuvered to a position at the stern 32 of the carrier boat 10 where the hanger members fall in general alignment with the lock devices, one on each side of the stern. Then, to secure the hanger members to the lock devices, the boatsman maneuvers the dinghy 12 such that one of the hanger members, for example 1 6, is over its associated lock device 28 and rocks the dinghy relative to the carrier boat 10 until the outboard arm 22 passes downwardly into the support slot 32. While so doing, the outboard arm 22 depresses the lock arm means 42 until the outboard arm passes into the slot 38. Thereafter, the lock arm means 42 is automatically restored to its normally locked position to prevent hanger member 16 from separating from the lock device 28 and the carrier boat 10. The same process is then repeated for the hanger member 18, the dinghy 12 being rocked to swing the outboard arm 24- downwardly into the slot 38 of the lock device 30.

With the hanger members 16 and 18 thus secured to the lock devices 28 and 30, lateral movement between the d nghy 12 an the carrier boat 10 is prevented and the d nghy remains in a highly stable lowered, in-water positlon until it is desired to either lift the dinghy to the raised, out-of-water position or to disconnect the dinghy from the carrier boat. In practice, the stable connection provided by the hanger members to the lock devices permits the boatsman to stand erect and walk around the dinghy without fear of falling due to sudden lateral shiftmg movement between the dinghy and the carrier boat. The same stability permits the boatsman to safely enter and disembark from the dinghy when secured in the lowered, in-water position.

When it is desired to lift the dinghy 12 out of the water a line (not shown) is connected to the side 46 of the dinghy opposite the side 20. The boatsman then steps or climbs from the dinghy 12 into the carrier boat and lifts the dinghy to its raised, out-of-water position by pulling upwardly on the line. As this occurs, the outboard arms 22 and 24 rotate on the bottoms 40 of the support slots 38 and the hanger members swing upwardly with the dinghy to the raised positions. Once in the raised position, the line is secured to a suitable clamp or the like to hold the dinghy in the raised position. While in the raised position, the cooperative means 44 operates to prevent relative lateral movement between the dinghy and the carrier boat thereby maintaining the dinghy in a stable position despite rough or high seas. In this regard, it should be noted that since the lock devices 28 and 30 extend rearwardly beyond the stern 32 of the carrier boat,

- the side 20 of the dinghy, when in the raised position, is

spaced from the stern to permit water to wash freely therebetween.

When itis desired to return the dinghy 12 to its lowered, in-water position, the line is simply released and fed out to swing the dinghy in a downward direction, the outboard arms 16 and 18 rotating on the bottoms 40 of the slots 38.

To separate the dinghy 12 from the carrier boat 10, the boatsman assumes his position in the dinghy, depresses one of the lock arm means 42 and shifts his weight to rock the associated hanger up and out of the associated lock device. He then repeats the process for the other hanger member and lock device and rows or pushes off from the carrier boat 10.

From the foregoing general description of the davit 14, certain items are particularly apparent. First, the boatsman may safely enter and disembark from the dinghy without fear of falling due to sudden shifts in the dinghy when in the lowered, in water position and does not have to avoid arms in support lines as in prior davits of a similar type.

Secondly, the davit 14 positively holds the dinghy in an out-of-the-way position when carried by the carrier boat 10. Also, the lock devices are out of the way when the dinghy is not on board and the hanger members do not interfere with the usage of the dinghy or other boat to which they are attached.

Moreover, and possibly of most importance to the boatsman, it is the ease with which the dinghy may be attached to the carrier boat with the davit 14. In fact, the locking operation is nearly automatic and enhanced by the rise and fall of the two vessels relative to each other. This means that the locking operation of the davit is enhanced by high and rough sea conditions.

In the drawings, three different embodiments of the davit 14 are illustrated, the davit 14 shown in FIGS. l10 is designed to connect the dinghy to the transom 47 of the carrier boat while in FIGS. 11-14, the dinghy is connected by the davit to a horizontal step 48 extending rearwardly from the transom. In FIG. 15, the davit is arranged to secure the stern of the dinghy to the transom of the carrier boat.

Referring now more particularly to the davit illustrated in FIGS. 1-10, the hanger members 16 and 18 are secured to the side 20 of the dinghy 12 adjacent its bow and stern respectively and are designed for connection to lock devices 2-8 and 30 secured to the transom of the carrier boat upon a rocking of the dinghy. Moreover, the design of the hanger members is such that the outer ends of the outboard arms 22 and 24 lie in a common plane parallel to a plane including the major axis of the dinghy 12. This means that when the dinghy is in the lower, inwater position, the planes including the ends of the outboard arms and major axis will be parallel to the vertical plane including the hook portions of the lock devices. When in the raised, out-of-water position, the planes including the major axis and outboard arms will be substantially normal to the plane of the hook portions. In both positions, the spacing between the dinghys gunwale 26 and the stern 32 of the carrier boat 10 is the same and substantially like the forces act on the hanger members 16 and 18 and on the lock devices when the dinghy is in the lowered position and when in the raised position.

To provide the foregoing design features, the outboard arms 22 and 24 should extend above and beyond the gunwale 26 and the outer ends thereof should be the same distance from the major axis of the dinghy. The side 20 of the dinghy 12, however, curves inwardly toward the bow. Therefore, the outboard arm 22 must be longer than the outboard arm 24 and the angle of the hanger member 16 must be less than the angle of the hanger member 18 if the outer ends are to lie in common vertical and hori zontal planes parallel to similar planes including the major axis of the dinghy.

To the foregoing end, and as most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the hanger members preferably comprise outwardly bent, generally U-shaped lengths of metal tubing or rods having opposing legs 49' and 50 and inter connecting ends 52. Flat vertically spaced cross arms 54 and 56 extend between the legs 49 and 50 adjacent the open ends of the hanger members to provide reinforcing for the legs and means for connecting the hanger members to the side 20 of the dinghy 12. As represented in FIG. 4, the cross members 54 and 56 include vertically aligned central holes 58 and 60 for receiving bolts 62 and 64. The bolts extend through holes 66 and 68 in the side 2% of the dinghy 12 and outer ends thereof receive washers 69 and nuts 70 which tightly secure the hanger members to the side of the dinghy. Due to the support provided by the cross arms 54 and 56; the stresses acting on the bolts as the dinghy is raised and lowered are distributed to prevent the bolts from pulling through or otherwise damaging the sides of the dinghy.

Upper portions of the hanger members 16- and 18 bend upwardly and outwardly immediately above the gunwale 26 and define the previously referred to outboard arms 22 and 24 for the hanger members. The outboard arms 22 and 24 thus extend well above the gunwale 2-6 to connect to the lock devices 28 and 24 in response to a rocking motion of the dinghy 12 relatives to the carrier boat 10 when the hanger members are aligned with the lock devices.

The outboard arms of the hanger members 16 and 18 and the angles defined thereby also differ to insure that upon connection to the side 20, the outer ends will be in the previously referred to planes. In particular, and as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the outboard arm 16 is substantially longer than the outboard arm 18 and for example may be 5 /8" as compared to 3% for the arm 18. Likewise, the angle defined by the hanger member 16 is less than that defined by the hanger 18, for example about as compared to about 152-156.

Such differences in length and angle permit the hanger member 16 to be secured to the inwardly curved portion of the side 20 adjacent the bow of the dinghy with the outer ends of the outboard arms 22 and 24 lying in the previously referred to planes.

At this point, it should be noted that the curvature of the sides of different forms of dinghies adjacent the bow thereof is slightly different. Since it is important that the outermost portion of the outboard arms 22 and 24 lie in a common vertical plane parallel to the major axis of the dinghy, the outer portion of the hanger member 16 is curved. This assures that irrespective of the curvature of the side 20 at least one area of the outboard arm 22 lies in the vertical plane of the outboard arm 24 and parallel to the major axis of the dinghy.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated the form of lock device for connection to the transom 47 of the carrier boat 10. The lock devices for this purpose are of the same construction and are designed to releasably secure and automatically lock associated hanger members thereto upon a rocking of the hanger members thereagainst with relative rocking motion of the dinghy to the carrier boat. In this regard, the illustrated form of the lock device, here 28, comprises a vertically extending base 72, the hook portion 36, and upper and lower portions 76 and 78. The base 72 is a substantially fiat plate like member designed for connection to the transom 47 above the water line 34. The connection is by means of bolts 74, thus enabling the lock device to be installed without removing the carrier boat 10 from the water. The hook portion 36 extends outwardly from the base 72 and is upwardly facing to define the upwardly facing support slot 38 of a substantially rectangular shape, the bottom 40 being flat and lying in a horizontal plane. The lower portion 76 also extends outwardly from the base 72 with an outer surface 80 inclined upwardly and outwardly into the hook portion 36. The upper portion likewise extends outwardly from the base 72 and includes an outer surface 82 which is inclined rearwardly and downwardly into the top of the hook portion. Right and left side reinforcing ribs 84 extend outwardly from the base 72 along opposite sides of the hook portion 36 to reinforce same.

It is a feature of the lock devices that the shape of the outer surfaces of the upper and lower portions 76 and 78 together with the upwardly curved outer surface of the hook portion 36- assist in securing the hanger members 1 and 18 to the lock devices while the dinghy 12 is being rocked relative to the carrier boat 10. For example, if during rocking of the dinghy 12, the outboard arms 16 and 18 engage the outer surface 80 of the lower portion 76, the outer surfaces guide the outboard arms upwardly toward the hook portions and into the support slots 38. Likewise, if the outboard arms engage the upper portions 78 of the lock devices, the outer surfaces 82 guide the outboard arms downwardly into the support slots 38.

Upon entering the support slots 38, the outboard arms 22 and 24 automatically depress the lock arm means 42, open the top of the support slots 38, and pass therein where they are releasably secured in place by the lock arm means which automatically re-engage themselves.

In the illustrated form of the lock device 28, and as most clearly depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock arm means 42 comprises a channel-shaped lock arm 86 pivotally secured to a forward edge of the hook portion 36 above the slot 38 by a horizontal pivot pin 88. The lock arm 86 thus extends downwardly into the upper end of the slot 38 with an outer tip 90 of its lower end designed to engage and opposite side 92 of the slot. The lock arm 86 is normally maintained in such a lock position to close the top of the support slot 38 by means of a coil spring 94. One end of the spring bears against the base 96 of the channel in the lock arm while the other end is seated in a hole 98 in a side 99 of the slot 38 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The coil spring 94 continuously urges the tip 90 of the lock arm 86 against the side 82 of the slot 38 but is resilient and compresses in response to downward pressure exerted thereon by the outboard arms 22 and 24 as they are rocked with the dinghy into the support slot. Once pressure is released from the lock arm 86, however, the coil spring 94 automatically returns the lock arm to its normal position to close the top of the support slot 38 and prevent the outboard arm from exciting from the lock device until such time as it is desired to release the dinghy from the carrier boat. Then, it is a simple matter to depress the lock arm 86 and rock the dinghy rearwardly, thus lifting the outboard arms from the support slots in the manner previously described.

Once the outboard arms 22 and 24 are secured in the support slots, horizontal movement of the hanger members 16 and 18 and hence the dinghy 12 relative to the carrier boat 10 is strictly limited. This is due in part to the special arrangement of the hanger members 16 and 18 relative to the lock devices 28 and 30 and the dimensional relationship between the support slots 38 and the outboard arms 22 and 24. i

In this same regard, it is an important feature of the present invention that lateral movement between the dinghy 12 and the carrier boat 10 is eliminated when the dinghy is in the raised or out-of-water position. In the present invention, the cooperative means 44 prevents such relative lateral motion. As illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, and 'by way of example only, the cooperative means comprises the bottom 40 of the support slot 38 of predetermined shape, here substantially flat and horizontal, and an indentation in a side of the outboard arm 24 having a base 102 of a shape substantially similar to the shape of the bottom 40, here flat. The indentation 100 may be formed by various means, for example, by a crushing of the metal forming the outboard arm to produce vertical side walls 104 for the indentation and outward extensions 106 from the outboard arm in the plane of the base 102. The indentation 100 is located in the outboard arm 30 such that as the dinghy 12 is lifted to its raised, out-of-Water position, the flat base 102 rests upon and the indentation receives the fiat bottom 40 of the support slot 38. In this position, the sides 104 of the indentation extend downwardly on opposite sides of the bottom 40 and the extensions 106 lie flat on the upper surface of the bottom as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. This arrangement securely locks the hanger member 18 to the lock device 30 and prevents the dinghy 12 from moving laterally relative to the carrier boat 10 when the dinghy is in the raised position.

An alternate form of the lock devices is illustrated in FIGS. 1114 and represented by numerals 28' and 30. Such lock devices are of substantially identical construction and are designed especially for connection to the swim step 48 extending horizontally and rearwardly from the stern 32' of the carrier boat 10'.

Referring to FIG. 11, the lock device 28 includes a base 72' and a front portion 110 in addition to the hook portion 36'. The base 72' extends horizontally over the top of the step 108 adjacent its rear edge 112 and is secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 114. The front portion 110 extends vertically as a rib from the base with a top surface 115 inclined upwardly and forwardly into the hook portion.

To assist in locating the lock device 28 on the step 108, a downward projection 116 extends from the rear edge of the base 72 downwardly over the edge 112 of the step. The rear surface 118 of the projection 116 is inclined rearwardly and upwardly into the hook portion 36' which also extends upwardly and then curves rearwardly to the support slot 38. Thus arranged, the hook portion 36' faces forwardly as does the support slot 38', the bottom 40' of the slot again being substantially flat and extending in a horizontal plane.

Lock arm means 42 for the lock device 28' is as previously described and includes a lock arm 86. The lock arm 86 is connected by a pivot pin 88 for vertical swinging movement with a tip 90' normally engaging the upper inside surface of the support slot 38' to close same and lock the outboard arm of an associated hanger member therein.

In this regard, the connecting operation for the hanger members 16' and 18' to the lock devices 28 and 30 respectively, is similar to that previously described. Briefly, a rocking motion is employed to bring the outboard arms 22 and 24' into engagement with the top surface of the lock arms 86 thereby depressing the lock arms and permittmg the outboard arms to slide into the slots 38 and into engagement with the bottoms 40 thereof. When it is desired to release the dinghy 12' from the carrier boat 10, the lock arms 86' are depressed and the dinghy rocked rearward to lift the outboard arms 22' and 24' from the lock devices 28' and 30, thereby freeing the dinghy which may be rowed or otherwise guided from the carrier boat.

As with the previously described embodiments, the inclined shape of the outer surfaces of the lock devices 28' and 30' assist in automatic locking of the hanger members 16 and 18' thereto upon a rocking movement between the dinghy 12 and the carrier boat 10'. In particular, when the outboard arms 16' and 18' are rocked and strike the lock devices below the hook portions 36', the inclined outer surface of the lower projections 116 guide the outboard arms upwardly and into the support slots 38. Similarly, when the outboard arms 16 and 18 engage the rear portions of the lock devices 28 and 30, the upper surfaces thereof guide the outboard arms upwardly toward and into the support slot 38' of the hook portions as the dinghy is rocked relativev to the carrier boat.

It is appreciated from the foregoing description that the lock devices 28' and 30' dilfer slightly in structure from those illustrated in FIGS. 1-10, the lock devices 28 and 30 being specially designed for connection to the outer edge of the swim step 108. In a like manner, the hanger members 16' and 18 differ slightly from the hanger members 16 and 18 previously described. The difference, while being significant and of importance to the particular embodiment, merely comprises a difference in the angle formed by the hanger members. Whereas the anglesassociated with the hanger members 16 and 18 were about 135 and 155 respectively, the angles formed by the hanger members 16' and 18' are more in the neighborhood of 110 to 120 as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 13 and 14. Again, the angle of the hanger member 16' is less than the angle of the hanger member 18 and the length of the outboard arm 22' is greater than the length of the outboard arm 24. As previously described this allows the outer ends of the outboard arms 22' and 24' to be equally spaced above the gunwale of the dinghy and to lie in a common vertical plane parallel to a plane inclding the major axis of the dinghy 12.

As with the embodiment previously described in connection with FIGS. 1-10, the spacings of the hanger members 16' and 18 and lock devices 28' and 30 is such that when the hanger members are secured to the lock devices, lateral horizontal movement is prohibited between the dinghy and the carrier boat when the dinghy is in the lowered, in-water position. Moreover, when the dingly 12 is in the raised, out-of-water position, cooperative means 44 (see FIG. 14) securely holds the dinghy in position on the lock devices 28' and 30' and prevents relative lateral movement between the dinghy and the carrier boat. The cooperative means 44' is of the type previously described in connection withFIGS. 8 and 9 and comprises the flat bottom 40' of the support slots 38 and an indentation 100' in a side of the hanger member 18 which upon lifting of the davit to the raised, out-of-water position rotates to the position illustrated most clearly in FIG. 14. That is, the base of the indentation 101) rests firmly on top of the flat bottom 40' with opposite sides of the indentation on either side of the slot to securely lock the hanger member in place thereby preventing relative lateral movement between the dinghy 12 and the carrier boat In some instances, occasions arise when it is desirable to secure the stern of a dinghy to the stern of a carrier boat in the manner illustrated in FIG. 15. In such cases, the hanger members are secured to the stern of the dinghy and the lock members to the stern of the carrier member as previously illustrated in FIG. 1. In such instances, both of the hanger members may take the form illustrated in FIG. 1 and represented by the numeral 18.

The mode of attachment of the stern of the dinghy to the stern of the carrier boat is the same as previously describe-d, a rocking motion accomplishing such connection. Also, the lifting of the dinghy between the lowered, in-water positions and the raised, out-of-water positions is the same, a line being attached to the bow of the dinghy and pulled upwardly from the carrier boat to secure the dinghy in the raised position.

In view of the foregoing it is appreciated that the present invention provides a davit for dinghies and other small boats which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and substantially service free, the davit including a minimum of movable parts requiring lubrication. Secondly, and possibly of most importance, the davit is constructed such that a single boatsman may rapidly and simply connect the dinghy to a carrier boat even in high and rough seas and may easily and rapidly swing the dinghy once connected from a lowered, in-water position to a raised, out-of-water position against the stern of the carrier boat. Also, the davit is constructed such that the dinghy once connected to the carrier boat is highly stable in both the lowered, in-water position and in the raised, out-of-water position.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in some detail herein, changes and modifications may be made in the illustrated forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A davit for a dinghy or other small boat, comprismg:

a pair of spaced hanger members secured to a side of a dinghy with outboard arms extending above and outwardly beyond the gunwale of said side; and

a pair of lock devices fixed relative to and extending rearwardly beyond the stern of a carrier boat above the water line thereof for alignment with different ones of said hanger members, each lock device including an outer hook portion defining a support slot for receiving the outboard arm of an associated hanger member and each slot including a bottom for supporting its associated outboard arm as said dinghy is swung upwardly and downwardly thereabout between a lower, in-water position and a raised, out-of-water position against said stern.

2. The davit of claim 1 wherein said lock devices further include hand releasable lock arm means for locking said outboard arms in said support slots.

3. The davit of claim 2 wherein said lock arm means each comprises:.

an arm pivotally connected to one side of the hook portion of the associated lock device; and

spring means continuously urging said lock arm to a position across said slot and against an opposite side of said hook portion.

4. The davit of claim 1 wherein:

the bottom of one of said support slots is of a predetermined shape; and

the outboard arm of the hanger member associated with the lock device including said one support slot includes an indentation in a side thereof for receiving said bottom of said one support slot when said dinghy is in said raised position, said indentation having a side of a shape substantially similar to said predetermined shape for mating with said bottom to prevent lateral movement between said dinghy and said carrier boat in said raised position.

5. The davit of claim 1 including cooperative means on one of said hanger members and its associated lock device for preventing relative lateral movement between said carrier boat and dinghy when said dinghy is in said raised position.

6. The davit of claim 5 wherein said cooperative means includes an indentation in the outboard arm of said One hanger member for receiving the bottom of the slot in the associated lock device When said dinghy is in said raised position.

7. The davit of claim 5 wherein:

said support slots in said lock devices lie in a first vertical plane;

outer ends of said outboard arms lie in a second vertical plane, said second vertical plane being parallel to said first vertical plane and a vertical plane including the major axis of said dinghy when said hagger members are connected to said lock devices; an

the outboard arm of the hanger member closest the bow of said dinghy includes a concave-like outer end portion relative to said side of said dinghy.

8. The davit of claim 5 wherein:

said lock devices include base portions for connection to said stern forward of said hook portions and lower and upper portions below and above said hook portions, outer surfaces of said lower portions being inclined upwardly and rearwardly into said hook portions and outer surfaces of said upper portions being inclined rearwardly and downwardly into said said hook and said support slots are forwardly facing. 10. The davit of claim wherein said hanger members comprise:

substantially U-shaped metal members; and vertically spaced cross members between opposite sides hook portions, whereby said outboard arms upon 5 of said U-shaped members, said cross members inengaging said upper and lower portions are guided eluding holes for receiving bolts extending through toward said hook portions and said slots upon a said side of said dinghy to secure said hanger memrocking of said dinghy relative to said carrier boat; bers in place. and

said hook portions and support slots are upwardly References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. The davit of claim 5 wherein:

said lock devices include base portions for connection 2,294,364

to the top of a step extending reanwardly of said 2,754,792 7/ 1956 Baird 114-230 stern, projections from said base portions for ex- 3,143,991 3/ 1964 Anderson l 443-5 tending over and downward along an end of said 3,193,318 7/1965 Guerrant 11423O step, and forward portions, rear surfaces of said 3,216,388 11/1965 Smith ll443.5

projections being inclined rearwardly and upwardly into said hook portions and upper surfaces of said MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. forward portions being inclined rearwardl and upwardly into said hook portions Whereby said out- THOMAS BUCKMAN Assistant Exammer' board arms upon engaging said projections and said US. Cl. X.R. forward portions are guided toward said hook portions and said support slots upon a rocking of said 9-34; 114230 dinghy relative to said carrier boat; and

9/1942 Palmer 930 

